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Prophetstown Main Street wins state award

Annual charity auction and wine-tasting gets recognition

BY BRIDGET FLYNN bflynn@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 521

Sept. 18, 2012

PROPHETSTOWN – Does an event where people can raise money for charity while sipping wine sound good to you?

It impressed the lieutenant governor’s office, because Prophetstown Main Street was one of 13 organizations that received a 2012 Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Downtown Revitalization – and its charity auction and wine-tasting event, held the first Saturday of December for more than 10 years, cinched it.

The awards were given during the Illinois Main Street conference Sept. 13-14 in Quincy. There were four categories: design, organization, promotion and economic restructuring. Prophetstown’s award was in the promotion category.

The charity auction consists of a silent auction of donated items, and a live auction of baskets, wreaths and trees. Together they raised $4,285 last year. The event usually raises between $5,000 and $6,000, and some amount, usually between $4,000 and $5,000 is given to charities, Prophetstown Main Street Director Eileen Detra said Monday.

“The biggest impact is the donations to local charities,” Detra said. “It’s a win-win situation.”

Prophetstown Main Street pays for hors d’oeuvres and the wine- and beer-tasting held during the auctions, she said.

For 2 weeks before the auction, the wreaths, baskets and evergreen trees are displayed in store windows, and people vote on their favorites by leaving canned and paper goods next to them. The goods are given to a food pantry, and the display with the most donations wins an award.

“It’s just nice that we won something to show the community that Prophetstown Main Street is working hard for Prophetstown,” she said. “That’s our saying.”

“All of the committees work hard on these events, and it’s nice to see them rewarded for their work.”